


The Reaper Holds Our Hearts

by DarkIceAngelFlare



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ancient Egypt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, I never write stuff like this but I deliver what was requested!, M/M, Tragedy, secrecy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29395041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkIceAngelFlare/pseuds/DarkIceAngelFlare
Summary: There is no more time. As the minutes before Zorc swallows the world in darkness ticks away, Priest Set pleads with his Pharaoh one last time...
Relationships: Atem/Kaiba Seto, Atem/Priest Seto
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: Dark Valentines of Dimensions 2021





	The Reaper Holds Our Hearts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hakaibunshi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hakaibunshi/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day, hakaibushi! 
> 
> I don't do angst, ever, because canon is sad enough already usually... but I made an exception for you! So if it's not very good, I apologise because I don't have any practice at this Dx 
> 
> I didn't have time to give this the love and attention I wanted to, so hopefully at some point later I will post the second part that I was planning... but if not, enjoy this piece of Scandalshipping angst T-T 
> 
> With love,   
> Your Secret Platonic Valentine

“You do not have to do this, my Pharoah.”

Set’s words lingered in the air, like the unsettled dust from the destruction wreaked by Zorc. It floated between the Pharoah and the Priest, both almost too young for the roles they were playing in the tragedy around them.

“I must,” Atem replied, his back to Set. “It is my duty to make this right.”

“Your duty is to your people! The ones still alive!” Set clutched his cursed Rod like a lifeline as his voice rose. In the distance, something boomed. Probably another piece of architecture breaking free from the palace’s hubris.

Slowly, Atem turned to face his priest. He seemed to have lost one of his earrings during the mad dash to the sealing chamber. Now, in the play of daylight just outside the doors of the chamber, Set could see the toll the recent battles had taken on their untouchable ruler. His usually perfect kohl was smudged; his hair a disarray; the skin beneath his eyes was darkened; the bandage on his calf was beginning to loosen, while his blue cape had been ripped from one shoulder piece, now trailing sadly in the dirtied floor behind him.

Set felt the familiar urge to fix his Pharoah’s appearance arise but he had conditioned himself to temper such urges when in public. The murmur of others in the awaiting chambers was soft, but it reached them anyway. He could control himself, even now, when everything seemed to be ending.

As he met Atem’s eyes, the near perpetual frown that his Pharoah had worn for the past few days eased into something gentler.

“If I do not do this, Set, there will be no people left to serve. For the living to know peace, I must give mine up.”

“Give me time,” Set pleaded. “There must be another way. One that does not involve you spending an eternity locked away with that monster!”

“There is no more time.” Atem managed a smile. “Here we must part.”

“We have been fighting against that for years, yet now you are ready to give up?” Set’s voice wavered and he mentally cursed himself for letting his emotions roam free. They were best saved for the darkness behind closed doors but only one remained in their future.

“This is not the same.” Atem stepped closer to him. “In all our years together, I have rarely let station part us. But this is _duty_ , Set. This is about the crimes our parents committed. Only I can pay the price.”

“Am I not of royal blood too?” Set closed the remaining distance between them. “Let it be me instead. I took an oath to give my life for you.”

The Pharoah raised his hand and caressed Set’s cheek. “And what of your promise to me?” His voice was a whisper fitting of silk. “To follow my lead, wherever it may take us?”

Unconsciously, Set leaned forward. “Then let me be with you in this. Why should you spend an eternity alone?”

Atem’s hand switched to a loose hold around Set’s neck, while his thumb continued to caress his cheek. Every movement was careful, as if the priest would break if he went too fast or pressed too hard. “Only I can control the Puzzle, Set. And only you do I trust to follow my wishes.”

The finality of his words, though quiet, struck the air with force enough to command complete silence. Set’s eyes closed as he swallowed down the despairing sob lingering in his chest.

Only Atem’s soft speech could break the heavy atmosphere of his own wake. “Besides, I want you to live, Set. I want you to know the joys of this world. To live a life without secrecy or being held back by the expectations of others. You will be a king of your own making and start your line anew.”

“Is this your command, my Pharoah?”

Set’s eyes opened in time to see the wetness gathering in Atem’s. “ _No_. This is a request, from one lover to another. To know that you are happy, that I can give you that freedom to _be,_ just once… that would bring me comfort.”

“I have never known you to be as free as you ask of me, but I will try. I will deny myself nothing in the future, if doing so will make you happy.”

“It would.” Atem swallowed hard. “If nothing else, it will be amusing to imagine you living by your own rules.” He took a deep breath. “You might even end up sleeping past the dawn.”

“Perish the thought,” Set replied drily, though his eyes were anything but. “Your imaginings seem a bit wild for my taste.”

“Do not fret. I have an eternity to think of better ones.” The familiarity turned stilted beneath the weight of reality. “…I am sorry, Set.”

“Do not debase yourself with apologies to me.” Set began to blink more rapidly. “I do not break easily.”

“Nothing about this is _easy_.”

“I will survive this,” Set assured him, but his eyes continued to betray him.

“You will be the only one to remember me.” The shimmer of Atem’s eyes began to run down his cheek.

“Don’t do that,” Set scolded. “I will not be the cause of your tears.” He ignored propriety to brush away the precious, offending liquid but lingered as Atem leaned into his touch.

“Am I placing too great a burden on you? To demand your silence all these years was one thing, but now to remember alone while everyone else forgets?”

“ _Nothing_ you have ever given or asked of me has been a burden.” Their watery gazes met as the distance between them could only be measured in the exchange of air. “Everything we have shared I treasure, and to keep my memories of you? You are giving me the greatest gift, Atem.”

More tears fell but they were ignored as Atem threw his arms around Set’s neck and dragged him closer for a desperate kiss. But once they started they couldn’t stop, and one kiss led to another, each hungrier than the last. Their hands clutched at each other hard enough to bruise, although Atem made sure to leave marks on his priest’s neck and chest, whenever he could tear himself away from Set’s mouth to do so.

“We are in public,” Set said at some point.

“Let them watch if they wish,” Atem mumbled before capturing his mouth again. “They won’t remember it soon anyway.”

Eventually, the sounds of Zorc’s newest rampage grew close enough for them to part, but not too far. Atem still held Set’s hand. He pressed a kiss to it as he whispered, “I will never forget you or what we shared.”

Set wished he could say all that he really felt in that moment, but little of it would comfort his lover. And if this is the last peace that the Pharoah would know, then Set could keep this last secret. Instead, he let out an inadequate declaration of love. “Even if only the gods and you are witness to it, know that my love ran deeper than the Nile for you.”

Atem smiled, knowing he was not one for such declarations. He tugged on Set’s hand and they fell in step as they finally faced down the sealing chamber together. “I am glad that we got to part like this, on our terms.”

Set snorted. “What choice did we have?”

“Ever the contrarian.” Atem smiled as he leaned against Set’s arm. “It could have been worse.”

“ _How?_ ”

“Hmmm…” Atem mused. “Imagine if I had left without saying good-bye?”

Set froze for a moment, before swiftly answering, “Then I would torn apart the world to find my way to you again.”

Atem laughed quietly. “I suppose I should expect nothing less.”

“Never doubt me. I am entirely capable of it.”

“I never will,” Atem assured him as they stepped into the cool gloom of the chamber. The gathered priests and magicians bowed deeply, falling silent at their presence.

Atem stared at the altar that awaited him, his grip tightening on Set’s arm. Set gently covered his Pharoah’s hand with his own, squeezing back just enough to break him free of his reverie.

As Atem turned to look at him, he wordlessly bent down and pressed one last lingering kiss on his lips.

“Good-bye, my love.”

Atem relinquished his grip on Set and stepped back, though his gaze still lingered on him. His lips quirked up for one last smile. “May the gods watch kindly over you, my Set.”

Set returned his smile. Atem turned away.

.

The die was cast. Their future changed. Only a grieving priest understood the cost.

And of their king, only the Puzzle remained.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Dark Valentine's of Dimensions (DVOD) 2021, hosted by the Prideshipping discord! 
> 
> Link to join (if you're 18+ and love the Atem/Kaiba ship in all its iterations): https://discord.gg/Ft8DxnSH
> 
> I may have forgotten exactly how things ended in the Dark RPG / Millenium World arc... so please ignore the discrepancies :D (I think Mana also remembered Atem but that's not as angsty so...)
> 
> Prompts:   
> Atem/Priest Set.   
> Throwing arms around neck, hugging them close before kissing them passionately on the lips.   
> Tentative kisses given in the dark.   
> That’s gonna leave a mark.   
> I don’t break easily.


End file.
